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Sir Robert Norramby
Sir Richard Robert Norramby, better known as Sir Robert Norramby, is the current Earl of Sodor. He is the owner of Ulfstead Castle, and runs a privately-owned estate railway that is operated by Stephen and Millie. Biography ''The Railway Series'' Sir Robert Norramby succeeded the role of Duke of Sodor after his father, Sir Robert Charles Norramby, was killed during the war. He was seven years old when the Mid Sodor Railway was closed down, and was not aware that the railway owned an engine named in honour of his family, who was known as Duke. Norramby never claimed Duke for himself after the railway closed, and Duke was locked up in his shed for several years. (RWS; Duke the Lost Engine) In 1965, the Duke, now 25, came to the Skarloey Railway for Skarloey and Rheneas' one-hundredth anniversary, and opened the loop line that went around the lake. Duck, however, mistook him as a Great Western engine and told Peter Sam they had all been scrapped. When Peter Sam became doubtful about this, he interrupted the Duke during his speech and asked if he was real. Having already expected the question, the Duke cheerfully told him that he was, indeed, a living person. (RWS; Very Old Engines) Four years later, when he was 29 years old, the Duke came to visit Duke when he was rediscovered inside his shed. (RWS; Duke the Lost Engine) ''Television Series'' After many years of traveling the world, Sir Robert Norramby returned to Sodor, choosing to restore Ulfstead Castle on his estate as a tourist attraction. He bought Stephen and brought him to Sodor to have him restored, wanting to use him to take tourists around the castle grounds. As the North Western Railway and Jack worked to help restore the castle to its former glory, the Earl was determined to find King Godred's golden crown, which had been lost a long time ago. When the Earl found out that Stephen had gone missing, he became concerned and requested help from the Fat Controller's engines to find him. Stephen was found in the mine below the castle, as well as King Godred's crown. The Earl reopened Ulfstead Castle to the public when work was done. (TVS; King of the Railway) When it was Christmastime, the Earl tried to convince the Fat Controller to dress up as Santa Claus to entertain the children at the Christmas fair the castle was holding. Though the Fat Controller agreed, the Earl wanted him to use a real sleigh to make him seem more convincing, and went to great lengths to get a real sleigh and reindeer, despite the Fat Controller's lack of knowledge on how to use one. The plan nearly ended in disaster when the sleigh rolled down the hill and away from the castle, but fortunately Thomas managed to save him. (TVS; Santa's Little Engine) The Earl later put Stephen in charge of collecting the ingredients he needed for his afternoon tea. However, Stephen came into the castle too fast during one of his trips, spilling jam all over the Earl. When Stephen suggested giving the passengers their afternoon tea on a trip around Sodor, the Earl agreed to the idea. (TVS; The Afternoon Tea Express) After the fossil of a dinosaur was discovered at the clay pits, the Earl attended to the display of the dinosaur at the Tidmouth Town Hall. (TVS; Tale of the Brave) Perhaps inspired by the discovery of the dinosaur fossil, the Earl decided to build a dinosaur park on his estate to bring more tourists in. The dinosaur park was soon opened. (TVS; Marion and the Dinosaurs/Millie and the Volcano) When the Harwick Branch Line was opened, the Earl attended to the grand opening of the branch line. (TVS; Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure) He also held a Christmas luncheon at Ulfstead Castle for Christmas. (TVS; Diesel's Ghostly Christmas) Category:Ulfstead Castle Category:Humans